Joshua Pacio leans on experience as he prepares for Mansur Malachiev rematch at ONE’s Inner Circle 21

Joshua Pacio is set to face Mansur Malachiev again at ONE’s Inner Circle 21 on Friday, July 10, in Bangkok, Thailand, with the reigning ONE Strawweight MMA World Championship as the backdrop. ONE billed the rematch as more than a repeat of their first meeting, framing it as a test of how much both fighters have changed through the grind of elite competition.

Pacio and Malachiev previously fought at ONE Fight Night 15 in October 2023. According to ONE, the initial matchup played like a strategic chess match, with Pacio landing more damaging strikes and repeatedly threatening submissions from the canvas to earn a unanimous decision. Malachiev’s response, ONE added, was to take the loss as fuel and pursue a more forceful path afterward.

Since that first encounter, Pacio’s profile has expanded in two directions. ONE points out that he returned from a partially torn ACL and then completed an “epic trilogy” with former champion Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks, capturing undisputed gold. The same material also notes that Pacio later fell short in an attempt at two-division supremacy against then-reigning ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu, results that ONE says shaped him into a more complete, battle-tested athlete.

In the lead-up to Inner Circle 21, Pacio emphasized that his biggest advantage is experience, not just specific techniques. ONE reported his view that he has been fighting “five rounds” since he was 22, describing this long-term runway as a key edge. He also said he believes he has improved across striking, wrestling, and grappling, presenting the rematch as the chance to show a “best version” that he felt was not fully displayed in his earlier contests.

What makes the July 10 matchup especially intriguing is the contrast between what Pacio is claiming and what Malachiev is expected to bring. ONE’s framing suggests a champion entering the rematch with more time at championship pace and more rounds under pressure, while Malachiev is coming off a defeat that ONE characterized as driving a more “vengeful” approach. Their first fight’s emphasis on controlled damage and submission threats also sets up a natural question for fans and coaches: can Pacio preserve his preferred pace without letting the rematch turn into a more chaotic contest on Malachiev’s terms?

For viewers, the most important thing to watch is whether Pacio can keep the fight in the lanes where his improved all-around skill set matters. If the rematch follows the pattern of their first meeting, it could hinge on incremental scoring, positional control, and whether Pacio’s grappling threats force Malachiev into conservative decisions. If Malachiev is able to disrupt that rhythm early, the fight could become a different kind of test, one where Pacio’s experience in five-round environments is the deciding factor rather than any single exchange. Either way, Inner Circle 21 gives this rivalry a concrete next chapter, with the stakes tied to the strawweight title picture in ONE.

The event is scheduled for Friday, July 10, at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, and ONE stated the show will be streamed exclusively for members via its live platform. With Pacio carrying championship responsibilities and Malachiev carrying the weight of a prior loss, the rematch functions as both a personal reconciliation and a statement fight inside the promotion’s most competitive weight class.